We are up for the challenge: Starc

Australia maybe racing against time and tide to force a result out of the third Ashes Test against England but pacer Mitchell Starc is confident of hastening things up as play at Old Traffod reaches its penultimate day.

The Manchester weather always carries the threat of rain but so confident are the Australians, with a lead of 233 runs and only four English wickets to take in the first innings, that Starc sounded out a warning to the hosts. The left-arm speedster removed the dangerous Kevin Pietersen towards the end of the day for 113, long after Michael Clarke refused to use the DRS when the English batsman appeared to be out for 62.

However, Starc said Australia had taken their lapse in their stride and appeared confident that the pitch, which has had little to offer to bowlers, would start taking turn sooner rather than later.

"It (the wicket) is only going to turn more heading into the back end of the Test," said Starc. "There are few wickets to get yet but we are up for the challenge.

"Things are going to happen quickly in the third and fourth innings."

Starc, who has so far taken 3/75, said Australia were braced up for a period of tough work with the ball on a flat deck but said it was important to see off Pietersen, one of their old nemesis.

England are still 34 runs short of the follow-on mark and the pitch has so far has shown no signs of deterioration. After Peter Siddle's late strikes on the second day, England did bide time, thanks to Alastair Cook and Pietersen and that seems to have hampered Australia's progress. But with both men back in the pavilion and Matt Prior left to work with the tail, Australia would go for the kill on Day 4 and it should set up the Test nicely for an enthralling finish.